<
https://theconversation.com/these-little-bettongs-were-wiped-out-in-south-australia-a-century-ago-now-theyre-thriving-alongside-foxes-and-feral-cats-264697>
"Around 200 years ago, bettongs were the most common macropod in Australia.
These small wallaby-like creatures were once found seemingly everywhere and in
great numbers.
After colonisation, bettongs became harder to find. The five living species
were decimated as land was cleared for farms, and feral cats and foxes spread
across the continent. Weighing in at 1-2 kilos, these small rat-kangaroos were
easy prey for introduced nocturnal ambush hunters.
Ecologists think of these species as ecosystem engineers, as they can turn over
six tonnes of earth a year, spreading seeds and fungi across the landscape. As
foxes and cats picked them off, their absence rippled through ecosystems.
To support and protect the species, conservationists have had success in
translocating the critically endangered brush-tailed bettong (
Bettongia
penicillata ogilbyii) to fenced, feral predator-free reserves. But could these
creatures – known as
woylie to Noongar people and
yalgi/yalgiri to Narungga
– ever be released back into areas where they once roamed alongside cats and
foxes? Our new research suggests it might be possible."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
